The professional term for a foot doctor is podiatrist; he or she treats patients who have injuries or illnesses that affect the feet, ankles and lower leg. A Foot Doctor Bronzeville has a number of tools and specialist equipment at his or her disposal when diagnosing various foot conditions. The diagnosis will lead the foot doctor towards a solution; the doctor may prescribe medications or anti-inflammatory medicine, remove skin maladies surgically or fit the patient with specially designed shoe inserts.
When a patient first visits a foot doctor the first step is a detailed discussion with the doctor, providing information on their medical history and a detailed explanation of the symptoms. Once the doctor has found out about the problem a thorough examination of the foot follows. It may be that the patient has a skin condition such as corns or a wart; if this is the case the doctor can remove it by freezing, burning it off or cutting it off. The patient may have an ingrown nail, this also requires delicate treatment. It is typical for a foot doctor’s office to have an X-Ray machine and other state of the art equipment to assist the doctor in making accurate diagnoses or to determine if there are problems that are not visible.
If the doctor finds the patient is suffering from a torn ligament, a broken bone or any other type of internal injury, surgery may be needed. If the foot doctor is board certified he or she will be able to conduct surgery, otherwise the patient will be referred to an orthopedic surgeon. After a successful operation the Foot Doctor Bronzeville will set a number of follow-up appointments with the patient to ensure that the foot, ankle or leg is healing well and that there are no complications. At this time the foot doctor may order custom designed orthopedic shoe inserts which help cushion and support the foot or arrange sessions with a physical therapist to help the patient on the road to recovery.
The majority of foot doctors work in a private practice although there are those who work in a hospital or clinical setting. Regardless of the setting, foot doctors and their staff also handle a great deal of administrative work such as maintaining patient records, advertising their services, paying bills and dealing with insurance companies to collect payment for the services rendered to the insured patient.
If you have a foot disorder that is causing foot or ankle pain then it is suggested that you make an appointment with a Foot Doctor Bronzeville. You are invited to contact Mitchell Foot & Ankle.
